1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid development apparatus and a wet-type image forming apparatus, and particularly to a liquid development apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with the use of a developer containing a carrier solution and toner and to a wet-type image forming apparatus including the liquid development apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-209020 discloses an invention relating to a liquid image forming apparatus. In this liquid image forming apparatus, a first contact and spacing mechanism is employed. The first contact and spacing mechanism moves a development roller away from a photoconductor drum. A liquid developer pool generated in a nip portion between the photoconductor drum and the development roller is cleaned by a cleaning apparatus. This document says that, according to this liquid image forming apparatus, contamination of peripheral apparatuses arranged under the photoconductor drum can be prevented.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-186748 discloses an invention relating to a development apparatus. This development apparatus includes a developer carrier and a developer carrier abutment member. The developer carrier abutment member reduces a pressure of abutment to the developer carrier while an image is not formed. The document says that, according to this development apparatus, a thickness of a thin layer formed of a liquid developer can properly be controlled without being adversely affected by fluctuation in temperature.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-183909 discloses an invention relating to a wet-type development apparatus. This wet-type development apparatus includes a development member, a developer supply portion for supplying a liquid developer to a circumferential surface of the development member, film thickness restriction means for restricting a film thickness of the liquid developer supplied to the development member to a development interval or smaller, and a development member spacing and contact mechanism for moving the development member located at a development position away from a latent image carrier so as to move the development member to a prescribed retracted position. The document says that, according to this wet-type development apparatus, when a liquid developer low in viscosity is used, adhesion of the liquid developer to a non-latent image portion of the latent image carrier can be prevented and a printing speed and image quality can be improved.